Two thousand zero, zero party over oops out of time...

...so tonight we're going to party like it 1999.

I'm driving to Minnesota tonight so I can attend Rosemount High School's ten year reuion this weekend. I can't wait. Seriously. My bff Heidi has her kiddos with her folks this weekend and we're going to go live it up highschool style. Which for Heidi and I simply means doing odd things like taping our noses up with scotch tape and driving around Apple Valley, staring at other drivers, acting like there is nothing odd about our pig noses. It also means lots of laughing until I'm crying. That's just what we do when we're together. There are sure to be stories that come from the next 48 hours...

A retreat recap

I have had a few friends email me wondering how the retreat went. And I can happily report that it was fantastic. The sixteen men and women who came were delightful and built community so quickly. I love this age group...no one has anything to prove, people actually act like themselves and are excited to learn, enjoy conversation and are enthused about whatever activity you throw at them.

My dad came and led three sessions on the Parables. He knocked it out of the park and everyone enjoyed him, mentioning many times they would like him to teach at the Spring adult retreat. I think we'll try to rotate our speakers and teachers a bit, but I did think that this was the greatest compliment.

My sessions went really, really well and I loved every minute of it. I forget how much I LOVE teaching. This was my undergrad degree and it felt so good to exercise those muscles of taking a larger issue and breaking it down into teaching points, discussion starters and ways to act regarding what was just learned. I love public speaking and storytelling, so to get to share in this sort of way was just a joy. I hope there are more of these events in my future.

This is too great...

No, these pictures are not of me, or anyone I know. (Though if this is you, I'd LOVE to be your friend.) I found these pictures on a new favorite website sent to me by my sister-in-law, devoted to awkward family photos. This one became a quick favorite because of the upper right hand picture. I guess I had just never seen this effect done with a cabbage patch kid before.

My first retreat...

This Sunday I have 16 people coming out to camp for a retreat called, "Love to Tell the Story." The focus is on passing on our faith stories to the next generation, and providing ideas and tools for preserving our faith experiences and beliefs and being sure we communicate those beliefs to the next generation.

I am so proud of this retreat already. And I'm so excited for how God will show up in the stories that I will get to hear of ways he has moved in the lives of the people gathered together.

The best part is that my folks, grandma and aunt annie are all coming. Honestly, the gift of family support and unconditional love and encouragement is just overwhelming to me lately. I feel so ready and able because of my cheerleaders. Dad is going to be the morning teacher, teaching about Jesus' stories and I can't wait. He's my favorite preacher/teacher and to get to lead an event with him is just about the coolest thing I could ever dream of.

So keep us in your prayers. I'm hopeful to do more of these things in the future.

I love planning kid's events and...

...little things like this make me want to have kids just so I can start throwing sweet theme birthday parties.